Tag Archives: apple cider vinegar

KimChi – more than pepped-up Sauerkraut!

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Here is another stunning fermented vegetable recipe. I am pleased to announce it is purely plant-based, so no fish sauce or other ingredients of dubious origin have been used 🙂

KimChiAt first I was concerned that all the spicy ingredients, which are natural anti-biotics would stunt the fermentation process. And yes, it slows the fermentation down a wee bit but not too much – if you leave it out at room temperature like sauerkraut. The batch in the picture above and to the left was made like  sauerkraut and worked out perfectly.

You have the option though to make the KimChi without adding the spicy chili paste to it initially. Let the vegetable mix ferment in peace first and store the chili paste in a thick-walled glass jar (it might burn holes in any fragile vessel *Twinkle*) Once the fermentation has stopped – after 3-4 days, add the chili paste to taste.
The chili paste can be kept indefinitely in the fridge.

Here comes the recipe. It is the shortened form of a very thorough description I found years ago on this website: www.treelight.com/health/nutrition/UltimateKimchi.html

KimChi
Makes 3-4l of KimChi

Vegetables

  • 1 head cabbage, shredded finely
  • 3 carrots, shredded
  • 2 cucumbers or zucchini, shredded
  • 3 heads broccoli, shredded
  • 1 apple, diced
  • 2 small oranges, juiced
  • 2 t sea salt (more if needed)
  • 1T Apple Cider Vinegar
  • ¼ c Sesame seeds
 Chili Paste

  • 3.5 red onions
  • 1 head of garlic
  • 1 small hand ginger
  • 4 soft flesh pieces of preserved lemons, optional
  • 2T Apple Cider Vinegar
  • fresh or frozen chilies, amount according to desired heat
  • ½ t natural sea salt
  • 1T toasted sesame oil, to cover the finished product when storing in a glass jar
  1. Prepare the vegetables by massaging with sea salt like Sauerkraut. Add diced apple, orange juice, sesame seeds and Apple Cider Vinegar and mix well.
  2. Prepare chili paste in a blender and balance flavours. Keep the toasted sesame oil aside for later!
  3. Now mix some of the chili paste with the vegetable mixture and massage with your hands. Test flavour and add more if desired. Keep left over chili paste in a glass jar. Cover top with a layer of toasted sesame oil to prevent oxidization and store in fridge.
  4. This Kimchi can be eaten immediately. Stored in the fridge in a sealed glass jar it will develop a stronger flavour over time and even ferment. Alternatively weigh the top down as when making Sauerkraut (cover top with plastic bag to keep the bugs out!) and leave it sitting in a bowl to catch any bubbling liquids that might escape the jar (see picture below!) on your kitchen counter or in your hot water closet for a week or so. Then take the weight and cover off. Seal the jar with a lid and transfer to fridge.

KimChi bowlAlternatively ferment Kimchi vegetables first, like in the Sauerkraut recipe. After 3-4 days you can add the chili paste and transfer the jar into your fridge.

What else can I say but:
‘Best of Success!’

René
🙂

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Fresh Turmeric Pickle Recipe – Immune boosting Superfood!

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Here is a true Superfood in a delicious recipe.

Ramesh at the Takapuna Market, every Sunday morning just laughs when I buy his whole stock of fresh turmeric for the day. My Sunday afternoon is then usually spent making this yummy condiment, packed with anti-oxidants and immune boosting properties.

Ramesh always has one or two fresh turmeric roots in his pocket as a snack on the go. It has helped him conquer cancer once so far! 😉

I found this recipe a while ago online, posted by a lovely Indian lady as one of her specific culture’s traditional dishes. Her recipe was with ‘hing’. I took the freedom to exchange it for garlic. Enjoy!

Here is to your health:

Fresh Turmeric Pickle

Multiply this recipe for a larger number of jars!!!

  • 1 c chopped fresh turmeric
  • 1 c chopped fresh ginger
  • ½ c lime juice
  • 1-2 fresh green or red chilies, sliced (adjust amount to taste)
  • ½ t natural sea salt, adjust to taste
  • 1 T fenugreek seeds
  • 1 clove of garlic, grated
  • 2 t mustard seeds
  • 1 T coconut sugar
  • ½ orange, juice only
  • 2 t apple cider vinegar, to taste
  • ¼ c toasted sesame oil, to seal jars
  1. Roast Fenugreek and mustard seeds in a skillet until they develop an aromatic smell. (I know, this is leaving the realm of raw foods – for a most fragrant reward :-)) Cool and powder in spice grinder or blender.
  2. In a large bowl mix everything together by hand.
  3. Fill into sterilized jars and cover with oil.
  4. Let sit for a week to blend flavours well.
  5. Will keep refrigerated for several months.

Note: An alternative process is to blend everything into a paste (left jar in picture). However, the chunky pickle is more refreshing as a side dish (right jar in picture).

Fresh Turmeric Pickle

BTW. if you can’t be bothered making the recipe above, flick me a line here. I am making it regularly and am also selling it. 🙂

Oh, and here is a last advise: The only way to get the yellow colour from the fresh turmeric to disappear from your hands is to make something with fresh beetroot right after 😉

Have Fun!
René
🙂

Superfoods 201 – the next chapter

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Join us for our next journey into the mysterious realm of Superfoods. We are talking – in my humble opinion – about foods with high nutrient content and density that may positively affect our wellbeing, health and performance. Walking through any well stocked health food store, you will recognise them by their unusual names (at least in our Western understanding) and also their intriguingly high price tags – compared to the standard fare, we have become so used to.

Yum Berries

Many of these foods are sourced from pristine environments like the Himalayan mountains (Goji berries) and the Amazon rainforest – hence their ‘unusual’ names. These plants and their fruits and roots are oftentimes not farmed but wild-harvested which explains their high content in nutrients (non-depleted soils) and also the higher price compared to other foods.

Maqui berries

Foods in this category are Goji berries, Acai, Maca, Noni, Maqui, Suma, Sacha Inchi, Camu Camu, Chia seeds and many more. Many of these are supplied and distributed by companies like Matakana Superfoods. On their website you will also find much detailed information about the different Superfood products.

Superberries Maqui, Yum, Acai, Goji

Among the more ‘common’ superfoods are blueberries, young coconuts, apple cider vinegar, cacao, turmeric, green tea, wheatgrass, sprouts etc.

And yes, we are offering you another class around these preciously packed nutrient-rich foods. Exploring the ones we have not touched on in our last class on the subject, Superfoods 101. To name a few: Maqui, Yum, Mangosteen as well as some old friends like Maca and Cacao.

Superfood pralines

Coming up this
Tuesday, May 1st, 2012, 7-9.30pm
at the Wise Cicada Cafe in Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand

Your investment: NZD60
including all samples and the complete recipe booklet of the class.

This class will be centered around a systematic approach to using Superfoods in you daily diet. What (powder, berries) can you incorporate where (your green smoothie, almond milk) and how – for maximum benefit to your wellbeing, health and performance. With a bit of good luck we will have Kevin from Matakana Superfoods with us to introduce a few of his products and to answer your questions about the different power foods.

Seats are limited to 20 students. Book your space today!

Ring René to book on: 027 555 1622 or contact us here.

Alternatively go right ahead and confirm your booking by paying the course fee through our PayPal portal by clicking on the button below.

PayPal Buy Now

Looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday!
Warm regards,

René

🙂

PS: We still have room at New Zealand’s first hands-on Raw Chef Training, Level 1. I have extended the Early Bird rate till Monday, April 30, 2012. Book your space Now!

Rene teaching